Mumbai: Ethiopians Tadu Abate Deme and Yeshi Kalayu Chekole claimed the men’s and women’s elite titles respectively at the 21st edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, as the city’s most celebrated road race once again underlined that winning in Mumbai is as much about judgement as it is about speed.
Abate clocked 2:09:55 to edge Kenya’s Leonard Kiprotich Langat in a gripping men’s finish, while Yeshi ran a controlled, solo final stretch to take the women’s crown in 2:25:13, her first career victory at a major marathon.
Mumbai’s reputation for tough climbs is well established, but on Sunday it was the downhill that quietly shaped the men’s race. The early descent down Peddar Road forced the field into an uncomfortable rhythm. Before the runners could fully recover, they were confronted by the climb on the coastal road, a sequence that drained energy far earlier than expected.
If this is the route organisers choose to persist with in the years ahead, course records are likely to remain untouched. While Mumbai has never been known as a venue for outright speed, this configuration, as elite runners pointed out, demands tactical restraint rather than sustained aggression.
Through those shifting demands, Abate ran with remarkable clarity. The Ethiopian had raced the Shenzhen Marathon just a month earlier, on Dec 7, an unusually short turnaround in a discipline where three months’ recovery is the norm. Yet he arrived in Mumbai convinced his body was ready, and the belief showed. Locked in battle with Langat for much of the race, Abate waited until the final kilometre before making his move, stretching clear to win by 15 seconds.
Earlier in his career, Abate was a Nike athlete, and his attachment to the brand extended beyond sponsorship. He once shaved the iconic Nike tick into the side of his hair, a distinctive flourish that followed him through races and earned him the nickname ‘Swoosh’ on the circuit.
The women’s race unfolded with greater patience but equal authority. A large Ethiopian pack dominated the early kilometres, with Medina Deme Armino using her knowledge of Mumbai’s roads to control the tempo. As the race wore on and rivals faded, Yeshi stayed composed, moving smoothly.
With a little over two kilometres remaining, she broke away decisively and ran the rest alone. Known among peers as friendly and outgoing, a contrast to the more reserved stereotype often associated with runners from her region, Yeshi appeared as comfortable after the race as she was during it.
It was a surprise to see Victor Kiplangat finish outside the podium places. The 2023 world marathon champion started as the favourite and did apply sustained pressure through the early and middle stages. That he was unable to produce his usual finish, however, only underlined how difficult the Mumbai course can be.
